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Chicken Kiev

Chicken Kiev

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Yield: 4

Jean-Pierre

This is a classic dish originating from Eastern Europe, featuring a juicy chicken breast filled with aromatic garlic and herb butter and coated with a crispy breadcrumb crust. Traditionally, this dish is served with buttery mashed potatoes to catch the butter oozing out as you cut each breast in half, making it a hearty and delicious meal.

  • ½lb unsalted butter
  • 2tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 1TBS fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2TBS garlic, chopped
  • salt and cracked black pepper to taste
  • 4large chicken breasts
  • 1cup AP flour
  • 2whole eggs
  • 2cups seasoned panko breadcrumbs (see below)
  • 2cups cooking oil (such as avocado or vegetable oil)

Create the compound butter:

Mix the butter with tarragon, parsley, garlic, salt, and cracked black pepper in a bowl until well combined. Roll the butter mixture into small logs using plastic wrap, ensuring they are tightly wrapped, and place them in the fridge to harden.

Preheated Oven to 375°F.

Prep chicken:

Meanwhile, prepare the chicken breasts by making a pocket in each breast from the side, being careful not to cut through to the other side. Insert a cold log of the prepared compound butter into each pocket, ensuring it is fully enclosed within the chicken. If necessary, secure the opening with a toothpick.

Next, coat each stuffed chicken breast in flour, ensuring it is fully covered. Dip each floured chicken breast into the beaten eggs and then into the seasoned panko breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the chicken to ensure they adhere well.

Fry:

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 365°F. Fry each chicken breast until golden-brown on all sides, then transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Bake:

Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Let them rest for about 5 minutes and serve sliced in half, over buttery mashed potatoes, allowing the melted butter to drizzle over the chicken and potatoes.

Enjoy your delicious homemade Chicken Kiev!

Pro-tips:

The secret to perfect chicken Kiev:

Now, let’s talk pro tips. The trick to ensuring the melted butter stays firmly sealed inside the chicken breast is partially freezing the chicken. Yes, you heard that right. After stuffing the chicken breast with that herbed garlic butter, wrap it up and give it a brief stint in the freezer. This helps the butter firm up, making it less likely to leak out during the frying process.

But that’s not all. Another essential tip is to make sure your oil is hot enough—around 365°F. This allows the chicken to get that beautiful golden-brown crust without overcooking the meat inside. And if you’re worried about the butter escaping, don’t hesitate to use a toothpick to seal any small openings.

Bonus pro-tip: Achieving the Perfect Crust

For that crispy, golden-brown crust, you want to use a combination of regular breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs. The panko adds extra crunch, while the regular breadcrumbs help create a uniform coating. Make sure to season your breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt and pepper to enhance the flavor.

And here’s a little bonus tip:

When you dredge the chicken in flour, don’t forget to shake off the excess. This ensures the egg wash adheres evenly, giving you that perfect crumbed chicken.

For the seasoned panko breadcrumbs:

  • 2cups of panko
  • 1TBS herbs de Provence
  • 2TBS parmesan grated
  • saltand pepper to taste
Breakfast Egg Casserole

Breakfast Egg Casserole

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Yield: 6 to 12

https://twohealthykitchens.com/farmers-market-overnight-breakfast-egg-casserole/

Loaded with bountiful veggies, this delicious egg bake has been winning raves for years and years! It’s great for holiday brunches or make-ahead breakfasts. And, since this egg casserole is made without bread, it’s even gluten free, too!
Prep: 20 Cook: 70

  • 1lb sweet Italian turkey sausage
  • 1½cups diced sweet onion (from about half a large onion)
  • 8oz fresh sliced mushrooms
  • 2cloves garlic, minced
  • 2cups frozen or rehydrated shredded hash brown potatoes
  • 2cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
  • 1cup diced green pepper (from for about 1 small-medium pepper)
  • 2-3plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (to equal about 1 – 1¼ cups)
  • ½cup chopped green onions (from about 6 onions)
  • 12eggs
  • 1¾cup milk
  • 1½tsp dried parsley
  • 1tsp kosher salt
  • 1tsp dried basil
  • ¼tsp black pepper

In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, onions, mushrooms, and garlic until sausage is no longer pink and mushrooms have given off some of their liquid, for about 10 minutes. Throughout cooking, stir to crumble sausage and break up mushrooms. (You can leave the mushrooms in larger slices or break them into almost unnoticeable little pieces as you crumble the sausage.) Drain the liquid.

In a 9×13 pan coated with cooking spray, layer potatoes (there is no need to thaw them), sausage mixture, 1 cup cheese, green peppers, tomatoes, and green onions.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, parsley, salt, basil, and pepper. Whisk thoroughly to combine, then add remaining 1 cup of cheese and whisk again. Pour egg mixture evenly over other ingredients in baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Alternately, you can bake this casserole immediately.)

In the morning, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bake casserole, uncovered, for about 60-70 minutes, or until egg in middle is just set and edges are lightly golden brown.

Remove it from oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes make-ahead options:

If you need to start on this recipe even earlier than the evening before your brunch, you can cook the sausage, onions, mushrooms, and garlic earlier in the day or a day ahead and chop the green peppers and green onions. Refrigerate the sausage mixture and the chopped peppers and onions in separate containers until assembling the casserole.

After the casserole is baked, you can refrigerate leftovers and reheat individual portions in the microwave for quick breakfasts all week.

This also freezes wonderfully. Pre-portion leftovers, wrap each portion individually in plastic, and store in a zipper container in the freezer. Microwave on several layers of paper towel to reheat as needed. After being frozen, the veggies let off water when reheated, but this casserole is still surprisingly terrific, so don’t let that liquid worry you.

For Breakfasts on the Go (Or Snacks and Dinners on Busy Evenings): Nestle re-warmed slices of the casserole into a tortilla for a wrap.

Breakfast for Dinner: You can make this in the morning and refrigerate until baking or prep it in the afternoon and then cook it immediately, for a fun “breakfast for dinner” option.

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Pasta, Creamy Angel Hair with Shrimp & Broccoli

Pasta, Creamy Angel Hair with Shrimp & Broccoli

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Yield: 2 Servings

Scott Nowell

A simple pasta dish with lots of room for variation. With a flavor profile like creamy shrimp scampi, you could use other pastas, proteins, and vegetables to soot your mood.

  • oz broccoli florets
  • 12lb raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 6oz angel hair pasta
  • 4TBS olive oil, divided
  • 2TBS butter
  • 1TBS garlic, minced
  • 6oz heavy cream
  • 1TBS parsley, chopped
  • Kosher salt & pepper

Heat 4 quarts of water in a large pan. When water boils, add a strong TBS of Kosher salt.

Broccoli/vegetable:

Add broccoli to salted water and boil until just tender, for about 2 minutes. Using a sieve or spider, transfer the broccoli to a medium bowl. Add some cold water to stop cooking and then drain broccoli.

Pasta:

Add the angel hair or other pasta to the boiling water and cook until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta.

Final:

Return the pan to the heat and reduce the heat to medium. Add 2 TBS olive oil, 2 TBS butter, shrimp and garlic to pan. Sauté for 2 minutes and return the pasta to the pan. Add the broccoli and cream to the pan. Mix well and add some reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick. The pasta should not be too dry.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.

Moo Shu Chicken with Homemade Pancakes!

Moo Shu Chicken with Homemade Pancakes!

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Yield: 4 Servings

Woks of Life

Ready for a great Moo-Shu chicken recipe that’s higher quality than takeout? This is how we used to make it in our family restaurant—a rapidly disappearing flavorful version of the dish.

Chicken and marinade:

  • 8oz chicken breast, (sliced in thin strips)
  • 1TBS water
  • 1tsp cornstarch
  • 1tsp oil
  • ½tsp sesame oil
  • 1pinch of ground white pepper

For the rest of the dish:

  • 3TBS oil (divided)
  • 2large eggs (beaten)
  • 2TBS hot water
  • 1TBS hoisin sauce (plus extra for spreading on the pancakes)
  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • 1tsp light soy sauce
  • ½tsp sesame oil
  • 2cloves of garlic (minced)
  • 3cups of napa cabbage (shredded)
  • 5dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked and sliced, about ½ cup)
  • 1TBS dried wood ear mushrooms (soaked and roughly chopped, about ½ cup)
  • ½cup bamboo shoots (soaked and julienned)
  • ¼cup dried lily flowers (soaked and ends removed)
  • 1TBS Shaoxing wine
  • 2scallions (split and sliced into 2-inch pieces)
  • Mandarin pancakes

Mix the sliced chicken and marinade ingredients in a bowl until well-incorporated and set aside for 15 minutes.

Pour 1 TBS oil into a heated frying pan and pour in the beaten eggs to make an omelet. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the egg omelet into thin strips. Set aside. Combine the hot water, 1 TBS hoisin sauce, 1 TBS oyster sauce, 1 tsp light soy sauce, and ½ tsp sesame oil in a bowl. Stir until well-combined and set aside.

Heat another TBS of oil in your wok or large skillet until it’s almost smoking and add the chicken. Lightly sear on all sides until about 80% done and remove from the wok. Set aside.

Add an additional TBS of oil to the wok and turn the heat up to high. Stir in the garlic, followed immediately by the cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and lily flowers. Give everything a good stir for 1 minute. Add the Shaoxing wine and stir-fry for another 20 seconds.

Next, add the sauce mixture, cooked chicken, and egg strips. The pan should be hot enough so that there is little or no residual liquid left at the bottom of the pan. Toss in the scallions and serve with the pancakes and extra hoisin sauce!

Mandarin Pancakes

Yield: 12 7-inch Pancakes

Woks of Life

Ready for a great Moo Shu chicken recipe that’s higher quality than takeout? This is how we used to make it in our family restaurant—a rapidly disappearing flavorful version of the dish.

  • 1½cups flour
  • ⅛tsp salt
  • ⅔cup boiling water
  • 1tsp oil

Prepare mandarin pancakes:

Mix the flour and salt in a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling hot water into the flour mixture and use chopsticks or a spatula to mix until a dough ball forms. Once it is cool enough to handle, knead the dough for 8 minutes until smooth, adding flour if the dough is too sticky. Cover with plastic and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Roll the dough into a cylinder and cut into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a dough ball, then flatten them out into a small disc about 2 inches in diameter. Lightly brush 6 of the discs with oil, ensuring the sides of the discs are also brushed with oil. Layer the remaining 6 discs over the 6 oiled discs so you have 6 pieces, each comprised of 2 discs.

Use a rolling pin to roll the discs into 7-inch circles, flipping the pancakes frequently so both dough discs are rolled into the same size.

Heat a wok or frying pan over medium low heat and place one pancake into the pan. After 30 to 45 seconds, you should see air pockets begin to form between the two pancakes. Flip the pancake; it should be white with just a couple of faint brown patches. Any more than that, and they are overcooked. After another 30 seconds, the air pockets should be large enough to separate the two pancakes. Remove the pancake to a plate and let it cool for another 30 seconds. Now carefully pull apart the two pancakes at the seams. Place finished pancakes onto a plate and cover with a warm kitchen towel. Repeat until all pancakes are done.

The pancakes can be reheated in a steamer for about a minute when ready to serve. They also keep in the freezer for up to 3 weeks if you decide to make a larger batch.

Vegetables, Garlic and Mixed

Vegetables, Garlic and Mixed

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Yield: 4-6

Cook! Stacey Cook

Prep:

6 cloves of garlic, minced

7 oz cabbage, bite sized pieces

6 oz broccoli, bite sized pieces

4 oz kale, rough chopped

Cook:

Heat skillet over medium high heat, when hot add

1 TBS oil, add

Minced garlic, stir, add

3/8 tsp salt

1 pinch sugar, add

Prepared vegetables, stir fry for about 1 minute, add

2 tsp rice wine, mix for 20 seconds, add

1/4 cup chicken broth, cover for 30 seconds, remove cover and toss a few times.

Serve

Beef and Napa Cabbage

Beef and Napa Cabbage

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Yield: 4 to 6

Cook! Stacey Cook

A delicious beef and Napa cabbage stir-fry using a simple marinade.

3 slices of ginger

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 stalks of green onion, 2-inch sections, white/green separated.

15 oz napa cabbage, upper half cut off and set aside, lower half cut in half lengthwise and then cut diagonally in 2-inch sections

Marinate:

8 oz beef, tri-tip, sliced ⅛-inch across the grain.

1 tsp soy sauce

¼ tsp dark soy sauce

½ tsp oyster sauce

2 tsp water

1 pinch of sugar

½ tsp baking soda

4 tsp cornstarch, mix evenly, add

2 tsp oil

½ tsp sesame oil, mix

Slurry:

⅓ cup water

1 tsp cornstarch

Cook:

Heat skillet over medium high heat. Add

1 TBS oil, when hot add

¼ tsp sugar

½ tsp salt, immediately add stem part of Napa cabbage, and stir fry for 1 minute, then add leaf part. Stir fry for another 45 seconds and remove it to plate. Add

1 TBS oil, when hot add

ginger slices and let sizzle briefly. Add

marinated beef, spread out to single layer and pan-fry until the bottom is golden brown. Add white part of scallion and let it sizzle in the oil briefly. Flip beef over and add

minced garlic. Stir fry until other side of beef is brown then add

1 tsp rice wine, then stir fry beef until 70% cooked. Add

2 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp dark soy sauce, stir fry until coated evenly. Add

slurry. BTB and stir to thicken.

Return Napa cabbage to pan, add

¼ tsp black pepper and toss to mix.

Serve with rice.

Vegetable Menagerie

Vegetable Menagerie

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Yield: 1, multiply to suit your needs

Scott Nowell

Huh?

  • 2handfuls of vegetables per person using onion, carrot, potato, sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, green beans, asparagus, leek, and cauliflower as desired

Preheat the oven to 425°F. 

Line a half-sheet pan with heavy duty foil. The pan needs to hold your vegetables comfortably – not too close together, not too far apart. Heavy duty is less likely to tear, i.e., to get dirty.

Cut your vegetables, and toss with olive oil, more salt than you think you need, and black pepper. These are the sizes to go for: large bite sized. Carrots take the longest, so make those thinner than the rest. Consider cooking speeds with the vegetables you choose.

Green beans don’t need cutting, just trimming, so those get tossed with the rest. Notice how cozy the vegetables are with each other but that there shouldn’t be more than one layer.

Bake at 425°F for 30-35 minutes.

You don’t have to be concerned about the vegetables burning at such a high temperature because they’re nestled closely together. The most you’ll get will be a few crusty edges, and those are delightful.

Serve.

Variations:

Add fresh rosemary or thyme to the vegetables.

Reinvent the meal with different vegetable combinations: onion, potato, carrot; leek and asparagus; onion and sweet potato, green bean, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. If you love it, try it. The worst that can happen is it’s not great and you won’t make it again.

Beef Stir-Fry

Beef Stir-Fry

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Yield: 4 Servings

Scott Nowell

For the beef

  • 2oz lean flank steak, cut into thin slices across grain
  • 1TBS hot chili oil
  • 1TBS cooking oil
  • 1TBS ginger, minced
  • 1TBS shallot, sliced
  • 1TBS garlic, minced
  • ½tsp 5 spice powder
  • ½yellow onion, sliced
  • ½red bell pepper, sliced
  • ½green bell pepper, sliced
  • 3dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water 30 mins.

For the sauce:

  • ¼cup stock
  • 1TBS hoisin sauce
  • 1tsp sesame oil
  • 1TBS soy sauce
  • 1TBS hot chili bean paste
  • 1tsp corn starch

Place the beef strips into a bowl and add the soy sauce, corn starch and mix well. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Mix the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl, set aside.

Heat a wok until very hot and add the cooking oil and hot chili sauce to the wok and mix.

Add the ginger, shallot and garlic and cook for 15 seconds.

Add the marinated beef and stir-fry for one minute, or until browned all over.

Add the onion and cook 2 minutes. Add the remaining veggies and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the sauce and cook until thickened.

Chinese Beef on a Stick

Chinese Beef on a Stick

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Yield: 6 as main, 12 as appetizer

Woks of Life

This is our version of Chinese Beef on a Stick—super savory, a little bit sweet, and crisped on the edges.
Prep: 15 Marinating: 4 hrs Cook: 6-10

  • 2lb flank steak (choose a wide piece so you can get long slices)
  • 1TBS sugar
  • 2tsp cornstarch
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 1tsp onion powder
  • ½tsp white pepper
  • ¼tsp salt (optional if sensitive to salt)
  • 1½TBS neutral oil (such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil)
  • 2½TBS oyster sauce
  • 1TBS sweet bean sauce (or substitute hoisin sauce)
  • 1TBS light soy sauce
  • 1tsp sesame oil
  • 3TBS water
  • 1TBS toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)

Thinly slice the flank steak on a 45-degree angle, about ½ inch. Use a very wide piece of flank steak, so you can slice them against the grain into long 6-inch slices.

Add the beef to a large bowl, along with sugar, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, salt (if using), neutral oil, oyster sauce, sweet bean sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and water. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours. During that time, soak bamboo skewers in water (minimum 1 hour, or you can use metal skewers).

Line a baking sheet with foil and a wire rack. Thread the pieces of beef on the skewers so they lay flat. Place them on the wire rack about 1 inch apart. For crispier results, use two wire racks and two sheet pans or cook in two batches.

Position an oven rack at the top-most level, closest to the heating element. Turn your oven on broil (high). Broil the skewers for 3-4 minutes on each side, watching them closely so they don’t burn. (Ovens vary!) Garnish with toasted sesame seeds if desired and serve.

Shrimp Chop Suey

Shrimp Chop Suey

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Yield: 4 to 6

Cook! Stacey Cook

Shrimp, broccoli, zucchini and mixed vegetable stir fry.
Prep: 10 Cook: 10

Prep:
3 slices of ginger
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 oz zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced on a diagonal into thick slices
3 oz celery, sliced on a diagonal into thick slices
6 oz cabbage, cut into 2-inch pieces, separated
3 oz broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
2 oz carrot, sliced lengthwise into thin slices, about 2-inches long

Marinate:
12 oz peeled shrimp
pinch salt
pinch sugar
pinch white pepper powder
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp water, mix evenly, add
1 tsp sesame oil, mix

Slurry:
1/2 cup water
3/4 tsp cornstarch


Cook:
Heat skillet over medium high heat, add
1 TBS oil, when hot, add
pinch sugar
pinch salt, add
Broccoli
Carrots
Celery, stir fry for about 40 seconds, add
1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine, stir fry until evaporated, remove to plate.

Add:
1 TBS oil, when hot, add
pinch sugar
pinch salt, add
Cabbage
Zucchini, stir fry for about 30 seconds, add
1 tsp rice wine stir fry until evaporated, remove to plate.

Add:
1 TBS oil, when hot, add
Ginger slices
Marinated shrimp, spread to a single layer and pan fry until bottoms are browned.
Flip over and pan fry other side. During this browning, add
Minced garlic to pan and stir until coated with oil. Add
1 tsp rice wine and cook until evaporated,

Add:
2 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce, stir fry to coat evenly, add
Slurry, BTB to thicken, return all vegetables to pan and toss to mix.
Serve.